Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-11-30
Later.

Most was asked whether he had said Gas
pipes with screw caps will produce brilliant
results; whether he had advised that fruit
jar filled with benzine in which medicine
glass filled with powder, tightly closed hay-
ing a fuse, be placed, and that on bursting
the fiery benzne will be scattered. Whether
he had advised the deadly poison curare to be
put on arrow heads Witness was greatly
excited when the questions were being asked
and declined to answer each He said We
hemently WI hat have they to do with my
speech at kraemers hall:" The judge in
each case allowed the questions. Most's
definition of anarchy was extended. He
described himself as a communistic anarchist.
He said it took him ten years to understand
anarchy. The anarchists advise the over
throw of the present form of government,
He thought the present powers of the state
would be destroyed when the people grew
stronger. State anarchy will be one with
ont commerce, in which should be communi-
ties of men, among whom wealth should be
equally distributed. There should be scien-
tific schools for both sexes, educated the
same way. He believed in force. The
difficulty caused by capital was most likely to
end in revolution and our principle, he said is
"peaccaby if can be, forcibly if We must.
He thought in causing a revolution, eXplo-
sivcs would be used on both SIDES aud
dynamite bombs would he more effective
than cannon. \ long dispute arose when
Most was asked if he believed in God vino
punished perjury.
Howe said the question could not be con
stitutioually asked.
The court said if the witness did not be-
ieve in such God, it would be for the jury
TO say if credlbity was affected thereby.
In course of the argument Judge Cowing
said that the tendency is to abolish
the oath put to witnesses. He be-
believed if man was put on the stand
without oath he would tell the truth as
quickly as with one. He believed the b ihle
had no effect upon witness. Most finally
said he did not believe in a supreme Being
who Furnishes perjurers. He believed. how
ever, he would be punished here for perjury.
As to the first cause. he could only say with
Socrates. Eve know that we know nothing. So
The prosecution offered in evidence the pre-
vious Indictment and record of the trial
which convicted Most to show that the book
on Art of Revolutionary Warfare" was not
introduced in evidence on Mo,ts previous
trial. Howe objected saying it had been in
troduced and excluded. Most said Recorder
Smyth bitterly referred to it. and had really
convicted him on it.
Both sides here announced that they had no
further evidence to offer. Judge Cowing
said he would limit each side to an hour,
summing up. Howe began by saving that
Most was not on trial for hat he had writ
ten or what he had said before the meeting
at kramer's hall This is not the trial of
John Most, but the trial to see whether lib
ertv and free speech shall exist in this
country.
The testimony for the prosecution as to
what Most said was. he claimed. utterly uu-
Trustworthy 1t has been contradictcd by
witnesses for the defense whose testimony
was unshaken. Assistant District Attorney
Nicoll in summing up for the prosecution.
said that liberty could be preserved in the
country by enforcing the laws and Furnishing
their abuse Most had a right to say that the
Jury in the anarchists trials were bought. the
judge bought, the present judge and jury
bought and were hireljngs Of capital. but
when he threatens an individual or class, he
is liable under the statute.
The only question was whether Most did
so threaten He argued that the weight of
the testimony showed that he did
Judge Cowing in his charge told the jury
Most was not to he tried for his past life. nor
for his belief but for his speech at krae-
mers hall. Our love of free speech and
the freedom of the press" he continued lei
Us to do away with many restrictions. We
are jealous of our liberty, free speech does
not mean that an individual has right to
slauder his neighbor or incite riot. We do
not tolerate license but encourage freedom.
We throw open our gates to all to come in
and enjoy citizenship which we esteem a
T., L. Eiptr %
marvel that in a country where everyone is
so free that there should he such men as
anarchists. and ask what more do they want.
The resolutions have come from injustice
hut never from justice.
After going over the testimony carefully
he said he failed to find anything in the
speech of Most, as he gave it at the trial,
that came within the statute. The jury
went out at 30
Most's jury came into the court at 10
o'clock and rendered the verdict, guilty
On the first ballot, the jury stood seven for
acquittal and for conviction. The ballot
ing continued and another juror was Won
over to conviction. 1t stood 6 to for some
time, finally the s for acquiital yielded and
agreed on conviction.
The verdict created a general surprise, the
prevailing impression being that the evidence
was insufficient. The judges in charge also
considered in Mosts favor, Howe moved
for a new trial, the argument on the motion
to he heard Monday Sentence deferred.
In moving for a new trial Howe said he
believed the evidence in regard to Most's
having written books on dynamite caused the
adverse verdict. He thought the evidence
improperly admitted. Howe privately init
timated that he may move or set aside the
the verdict on the ground that one of the
jurors spied on Most outside the court
He asked witnesses questions showing thai
he was playing detective as well as juror.
THE CAGE FALLS